Sandy Berger

WSJ.com - Berger Cleared of Withholding Material From 9/11 Commission:

Officials looking into the removal of classified documents from the National Archives by former Clinton National Security Adviser Samuel Berger say no original materials are missing and nothing Mr. Berger reviewed was withheld from the commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

I guess apologies will be forthcoming from all the rabid-republicans, right? [cricket-related-sounds]

However, why would Berger bother to take the documents? Did any of these documents subsequently get leaked to the press? or were they for his personal archive for a future memoir? Did he think false allegations in the actual 9/11 report could be rebutted by the documents he took? I'm still confused to Mr. Berger's motives.

Archives spokeswoman Susan Cooper said officials there "are confident that there aren't any original documents missing in relation to this case." She said in most cases, Mr. Berger was given photocopies to review, and that in any event officials have accounted for all originals to which he had access.

Late last year, archives personnel called in investigators when some classified materials were discovered missing after Mr. Berger reviewed them in response to a 9/11 Commission request for Clinton-era national-security records. Staff members became suspicious that Mr. Berger had removed items during a first visit, and on a second visit secretly numbered copies given to him and determined afterward that not all had been returned. By some accounts, Mr. Berger had been observed by the staff stuffing papers into his clothing, although Mr. Berger's lawyer, Lanny Breuer, has denied that.

Very odd story.